Aalina Goeth
by ArcherHiddles
Summary: Aalina Goeth is 15 years old. Her father is Amon Goeth. She lives in a villa on the edge of a labour camp. How many people must she watch die before the war stops? Constructive criticism welcome. Please review. Thank you
1. Chapter 1

I rose up out of my bed and stumbled over to the balcony, wrapping a dressing gown around me. I stepped onto the balcony. The view always hit me hard. There were hundreds of them. All being worked to death. How could someone allow this? How could my father be a part of this? I heard a door open on the balcony to the left of mine. I stepped back into the shadows and saw my father emerge, a rifle in one hand and a cigarette in the other. He loomed over the chair, staring through the rifle at the victims below, cigarette now in his mouth. He stopped moving the rifle. I looked at where it was pointing; a Jewish woman tying her shoelace up. I watched him place his cigarette down on the balcony wall and re-take aim. The woman stood up. He shot the gun. She lay on the ground, blood pouring from her head. Another shot. A woman sat on some wooden steps. I ran round to his room and burst onto the balcony as he stretched out his back.

"Father, was that necessary?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The woman with the shoelaces. She was tying it up so it wouldn't come off whilst she was working. If she hadn't have then it would have come off whilst she was working and she'd have had to tie it anyway."

"She should have tied it properly earlier."

"That would have been 3 hours ago!"

"So?" He rested his gun against the wall and put his cigarette down.

"What are you going to say about the other one?"

"You didn't have to shoot her. She was probably taking a break."

"They know the rules and so do you."

"They're being forced to do labour and they can't even take a break!?"

"No. Not without permission."

"How do they get that?"

"They get shot."

"And you find that fair?"

"Yes, I do." He laughed. I didn't understand how. I saw a guard pulling a woman about.

"What has she done?"

"Who?" I stepped next to him and pointed at her.

"Her." I felt him crouch down and look down my arm. He put his hand round my waist.

"Ah, they've been telling me about her. She keeps complaining and trying to make adjustments on the building and saying we have to pull the foundations down."

"Why?"

"She says they'll fall down."

"How does she know?"

"She studied building work."

"And you're not listening to her?"

"We don't get into arguments with these people, Aalina."

"What are they going to do to her?"

"They're going to wait until I get down there."

"And then what?"

"I'll probably dispose of her." He let go of my waist and picked up his gun and started to walk inside then stopped.

"In fact, I want you to come with me."

"Why?"

"To see these vermin."

"You mean people. They're just the same as us. What is so wrong with them?"

"Don't let the Fuhrer hear you say that. Or anyone." He walked away.

"It's the truth!" I turned back to the camp. The woman was still getting pulled around and beaten. I turned and left. I couldn't watch any more.

I followed my father down to the camp. The woman I saw earlier was tied to a post, gagged.

"Untie her." My father told the guard. The guard did as he was told.

"Will you work and shut up?"

"I am only trying to do my job, _sir_."

"As am I. Shoot her." The guard started pulling her away. She started screaming.

"No. Here. Actually, Aalina. You do it." He pulled a gun from his pocket and held it out to me. The lady stared at me with pleading eyes.

"Father, I can't."

"Pity…"

"I'm sorry, father. I can't shoot someone."

"Guard. Shoot her."

"It will take more than a bullet to kill me."

"Of course." The guard shot her. I flinched. My father grasped my arm and pulled me away. He dragged me behind a building.

"Don't ever do that again." My arm was starting to go red.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't."

"Next time I'll have you shot as well."

"There won't be a next time. I'm not coming back down here just to watch you trying to act powerful. Power is also about showing mercy. You have the power to kill them but you don't, you forgive them."

"Hold your tongue or I'll have you put in this camp."

"As if you'd see your own daughter down here."

"Do you not believe I would?"

"I know you have standards and a reputation to uphold. That's why I don't believe you would." He stepped closer to me.

"No, but I would make your life hell." He whispered threateningly.

"Now, you are going to come with me and do as I say." He let go of my arm. I followed him. My sleeve covered the finger marks my father had left on my arm as warning.

I ended up in a workhouse with my father and some guards. My father led me over to a man polishing the shoes of some guards. When we approached, the Jew stood up and took off his hat.

"I want you to polish my shoes. In fact, no, a shoe."

"Yes, sir."

"And Aalina?"

"Yes, father?"

"You shall do the other one." He removed his shoes. I didn't argue with him. I'd never done this before. I had no idea what my father was planning. I knew it wouldn't be great.

I rested against a table, cleaning my father's shoe as best I could. I finished way before the old man. I started to realise what I'd done.

Once the old man had finished, my father put his shoes back on.

"Tell me, how is it that my daughter who has never cleaned shoes before can clean a shoe quicker and better than you when you are doing this job?"

"Sir, I-I-I…"

"Stop your stuttering. Take him outside. You know what to do." The guards dragged the man outside. Gunshot. One man had died because of me. The guards came back in.

"Aalina and I are going to go back to the villa now." My father and I walked back to the house.

I stood in my room. I had my dress on, ready to go downstairs to the party but I just couldn't go downstairs. There was a knock at my door.

"Yes?" My father came in.

"Are you not coming down?"

"I will I just need to finish making myself pretty."

"You're already pretty. Be quick." He left and shut the door behind me. I heard his footsteps get fainter as he walked away. I sat on my bed and started crying. My dress was red. The colour of blood. I started ripping it at the bottom and away from me. Soon, bits of red fabric lay at my feet. And still I cried.

"Miss Goeth?" I grabbed my duvet and pulled it around me. Oskar Schindler stood in front of my door. He shut it behind him.

"Are you alright, Aalina?"

"No. I-I…" He stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around me.

"What happened?"

"I can't do this. There are innocent people outside getting killed by my father amongst others and we're here partying."

"Was it the colour?"

"Yes."

"Do you have another?"

"Yes."

"One that's not red?"

"Yes."

"You'd better get it on. Your father wants you down now."

"I know…"

"What's wrong with your arm?" The red mark was still there.

"Today at the camp. I refused to shoot a woman. A guard just did it in front of me anyway."

"Who made the mark?"

"My father."

"Amon?"

"Yes. He was furious that I didn't. But what have these people done wrong?"

"I agree. Can you do something for me?"

"Depends what it is."

"Stop your father killing them as much as you can. Stay with him when he goes around the camp. Tell me which ones are most likely to be killed next. Who's in danger the most. I will then get them transferred to my factory. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. It will save them."

"Thank you." I stood up and pulled a dress out of my wardrobe; black this time. I put it on and then headed downstairs with Schindler. I'd sorted out my make up too so I didn't look like a panda. I headed over to my father.

"Amon? Is this your daughter?"

"Yes. This is Aalina." The man shook my hand.

"She is very pretty."

"Thank you, sir," I replied. My father took a swig from his drink. The man left and started talking to Schindler.

"You've changed."

"My dress ripped. Sorry I took so long."

"Don't worry. I'm sorry about your arm. I'm just so worried that you're going to get hurt or killed if you carry on like that." I thought he was drunk. He wouldn't say that. I don't think.

"It's okay… Have you had too much to drink?"

"No. I'm sober. I am worried, Aalina. You're the only thing I have any more that's worth anything. You're my only child. I can't lose you like I've lost everything else. I shouldn't have hurt you."

"It's fine, father, you're just worried," I remembered what Schindler had said, "Would it be okay with you if I came around the camp more often?"

"Of course."

"Can you promise me something?"

"Anything."

"Please don't kill them. Or have them killed. Not without my permission."

"Okay."


	2. Chapter 2

My father was in his uniform. I wore an Army style jacket. We stood in front of two helpless people. A child and her grandfather.

"One of you must die. Choose who."

"Kill me." The grandfather told us.

"Aalina can decide who we shoot."

"Please, miss, kill me, let my granddaughter live!" I wanted to cry. I looked at my father. Did they really have to die? From the look he gave me I guessed yes. But why? I took my father's hand and pulled him away.

"Why must one die?"

"There is only room for one more worker. One more place on the train." As if they weren't crowded enough surely they could cope with two more.

"I can't choose. That's not fair."

"When is life ever fair?"

"I don't know."

"What are you thinking? Who should live?" I said nothing.

"I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, what does he want to hear? What is the right answer?" Partly true. I said nothing.

"The truth is always the right answer."

"The grandfather wants to save his granddaughter." If one had to die, they should choose. It wasn't for me to choose. The old man was ill anyway. He would die soon. I couldn't do this.

"As you wish."

"Father?" He turned back to me.

"Let me talk to him first."

"Be quick."

"Alone."

"Fine." I walked back to the Jews alone. The guards stepped over to my father. I felt their eyes boring into my back.

"What would be your choice?"

"I die, she lives."

"Okay."

"You're going to choose that?"

"I'm going to prolong this for as long as I can. Mr Schindler is on his way. He can save you both."

"Thank you, miss."

"You're welcome." Oskar Schindler arrived 5 minutes later. Any later the man would be dead.

"Wait! He is mine. They both are. I need both of them. How am I to polish the inside of bullets?"

"And the man?"

"Can help with the paperwork."

"Can he even count? Or read?"

"Amon, I will choose what my workers do. Thank you. I shall take it from here." My father and I walked away.

"What is he trying to do, Aalina?"

"Father?"

"What is he trying to do?"

"I don't know… he's probably trying to help the army because he needs as many workers as possible for his factory…"

"Perhaps."

"Have you read_ Mein Kampf _yet, Aalina?"

"Yes, sir."

"What did you think of it?"

"It was interesting, sir." More like disgusting.

"And how are you finding Hitler Youth?"

"It's very good, sir. It will be very helpful for the future." Lie.

"That is what we aimed for. _Heil Hitler._"

"Heil Hitler." The man walked off. My father and another man came over to me.

"Are you going to be involved with the celebrations for the Furher's birthday, Aalina?"

"Yes, sir. It will be an honour sir."

"So what are you handing in to be burnt?"

"Jews," my father said. Both of them laughed.

"I'm not sure yet."

"Aalina, address him as sir," Amon told me.

"I'm not sure yet, _sir._"

"No need Amon, Aalina. You could hand in books?"

"I couldn't do that sir."

"Why not?"

"Because I love reading. I could not watch the places I wish to be realities burn."

"That is very deep, Aalina." My father told me through gritted teeth.

"It is the truth, father."

"And what are these places?" Oskar Schindler had stepped over to my side.

"They are places where anyone can be a hero, no matter who they are."

"And why do you wish these places were reality? Could you not be a hero here?" I stared directly into my father's eyes. His blue eyes glared at my soul. I shivered then straightened up. This is how I would get back at them. Words worked better than bullets.

"Innocent people aren't killed for the sport of those who deem themselves superior."

"Aalina Carla Goeth. Hold your tongue." The man saluted then stepped away. Oskar stayed by my side.

"Say anything like that again and I'll beat you." My father walked away.

"Who kills them for sport?"

"Amon."

"You mean your father, Aalina."

"I hate him."

"You don't mean that."

"You don't see what he does every day."

"Aalina, he cares for you."

"He should care for those people down there."

"He is doing what he is told to do. You have just not fallen under the spell of propaganda because you live here."

"So does he."

"He is a member of the Nazi party and has orders he must follow. They would take you away and kill him if he didn't." That shut me up.

"Have you got school tomorrow?"

"Yes, Mr Schindler."

My whole year was in assembly. We all sat in our uniform facing the front. The doors opened. Someone I didn't expect stepped in. My father. Everyone stood up and saluted shouting _Heil Hitler. _Amon got to the front of the hall and motioned for us to sit. We did as though we were one person, not hundreds.

After a while of telling us how bad the Jews were he stopped. He looked at us and stated one thing.

"If you or anyone else are hiding a Jew, you will be tried as a traitor." Silence. A question.

"Are there any Jews here?" No-one said anything.

"I know there are." Heads turned to face a couple of people near me.

"Stand up." They did as he said.

"I hope everyone has been treating them as they deserve. Thank you. You two, follow me."

"Thank you, Mr Goeth," my head of year told him. My friend next to me looked at me. She'd noticed."

"Aalina? Is that…?" She didn't have to finish the sentence.

"Yes. He is." Yes. He is my father. Yes. He is a murderer. Yes. He is taking those people to their death. Everyone stood and heil Hitlered.

"He doesn't care for me. Not for anyone."

"I doubt that."

"When I was 7 he took me to the camp. He shot 25 in front of me. He knew who had done the crime. But he shot the person to the left and the person to the right of him, then every other man in line."

"He didn't shoot you though. He must care about you."

"We were walking back to the villa and we stopped. Two men were talking to him. I could see their guns. After the men had gone I asked him if he was going to shoot me."

"What did he say?"

"Not if you're a good girl."

"What did he mean?"

"I think he meant if I didn't help the people."

"What's wrong with your arm?"

"He left that as a warning too." It had bruised now.

"What for?"

"I refused to shoot someone. He told me it would not happen again or he'd make my life hell."

"Have you talked to your brother?"

"He's working at a different camp, hours away."

"So?"

"I can't exactly talk to him. Actually, he's coming home tonight."

"Then talk to him."

"Okay." Pieter was 21. He worked at a camp a couple of hours away. I'd heard its name whispered with fear. _Auschwitz._

We sat around the dinner table. 'We' consisted of Pieter, my father and myself.

"How's your Hitler Youth going, Aalina?"

"It's good thanks."

"And school? I hope you're paying more attention than I did." We laughed.

"It is okay, I guess."

"How's your work, Pieter?" My father asked.

"You mean at the camp? Awful. It stinks every day." My father laughed.

"I've heard the smell after the Jews have had a shower is terrible."

"They give them showers, father?" I asked.

"Yes, Aalina."

"To get the dirt off? Why doesn't that happen here?"

"It cleans filth off the planet, Aalina. Because this is a _Labour_ camp."

"I don't think you understand what the showers do, Aalina," my brother told me grimly.

"Do I want to?"

"Probably not…"

"What do you do to them? Pieter? Father?"

"Tell her Pieter. She's 15. She should be helping."

"Father, she's still a child."

"Tell her." Pieter pulled his chair out and sat in front of me, taking hold of my hands.

"Don't speak through this, just listen. First, they take off their clothes so they can be recycled. Then, we cut their hair. They get taken into a room. We lock their doors and give them… a shower."

"What's in the shower?"

"Gas." I turned and threw up.

"Go and clean yourself up, Aalina. Help her, Pieter. You, clean this up." I stumbled up the stairs to the bathroom. Pieter held my hair out of the way as I leaned over the toilet.

"Why? Why do they have to die that way?"

"It's the way it is, Aalina."

"It's disgusting."

"It's life."

"No it's not. Not this. This is not life."

"Aallie, don't tell anyone what you think about it."

"Why can't I talk about it?"

"They will take you away. They will probably kill you."

"Will they gas me?"

"Perhaps. If that is what you feel strongly about then most likely."

"Understood. Don't talk about it."

"Thank you." I stood up, washed my face and brushed my teeth. There was a knock at the door. My father stepped in.

"Thank you, Pieter, I'll look after her now." Pieter shut the door behind him.

"Are there any more Jews at your school?"

"What did you do to the ones today? Are they going to Auswitch?"

"I asked you first."

"No there aren't."

"See I don't believe you. You lied to me about there being Jews at your school before today and so I don't believe there aren't any."

"What's happened to those Jews?"

"When you feel better go to your room."

"Father?!"

"Don't come out until tomorrow morning." He started to leave.

"And yes. They are." He shut the door.

I stood up and walked out of the bathroom. I'd rinsed my face and cleaned my teeth. I walked to my room. A few hours later I went to get a glass of water.

"I thought I told you not to come out until tomorrow morning?"

"Technically it is tomorrow morning now."

"Don't get smart with me, Aalina. You'll come off worse. Those Jews at your school. Did you know them?"

"Yes."

"Were you close to them?"

"It depends what you mean by close. They were nice."

"Go back to bed now." I started walking out but I could have sworn I'd heard him whisper "I'm sorry."


End file.
